


...getting the pieces in place

by kisahawklin



Series: The Three Body Problem [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Deleted Scenes, M/M, Multi, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-02 23:43:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2830358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisahawklin/pseuds/kisahawklin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The conversation Sam and Cas have when Cas storms out of the bunker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	...getting the pieces in place

**Author's Note:**

> This bit me in the car today and I just needed to write it. I didn't think I would have to write the Sam POV to get the penny to drop in story (that Sam agreed because of Dean, that Dean agreed because of Sam, and that Cas assumed they would be idiots and do it for each other - so that it was just a way in until they figured it all out), but Sam's been on my mind lately, so this happened.

Sam curses Dean out as he pulls on his boots, debating whether a coat is going to be necessary. They're in the middle of a weird cold snap so he does put on a jacket before heading out to try and talk some sense into Cas, or at least apologize for them being dicks. Dean is a seriously bad influence on him sometimes, and he really tries to be nicer to Cas than that.

Cas is standing just outside the door, breathing out white fluffy clouds of vapor. "Sam," Cas says, his curt greeting when he's annoyed with him. Sam can't help smiling. It doesn't even occur to Cas that he could not acknowledge Sam at all. It's what Dean would do.

"Cas," Sam says. 

They stand next to each other in the cold, and Sam tries to figure out what the hell to say. He doesn't have a clue what Cas was after, and just unraveling what he meant by his request took most of the brainpower he had for the day.

"Listen," Sam says, and Cas shakes his head.

"Forget I asked," Cas says. "Obviously I was expecting too much from you."

Sam raises his eyebrows. He's not sure whether Cas means him or him and Dean. He's not sure he likes being put in the same category of low expectations as Dean.

"Well, it's a little out of nowhere," Sam says. "And I'm still trying to figure out why you didn't just ask us each out individually."

Cas huffs. "Would Dean have said yes?"

Sam frowns. "No."

"And you?" Cas asks. 

Suddenly Sam feels bad for Cas. He hadn't even known Cas was interested in guys. "Well, I don't date men," Sam says.

"I am not a man," Cas snaps. "When will you understand that angels do not have gender?"

Sam shifts, uncomfortable for the first time in a while with Cas. "I know, Cas, but… Jimmy is a guy. And…" 

He can't finish the sentence.

"And I'm no longer an angel," Cas says, kicking at the gravel in the driveway dejectedly. "I'm still not a man." That seems to shake something loose and Cas looks up at him. "If I had chosen a female vessel, would you agree to a date?"

Sam's eyes go wide. He can't imagine Castiel's presence in a woman. "Uh," he says. He has never felt that way about Cas, but he wouldn't, not when he looked like a guy. There are some basic rules of attraction at work here, Sam's hardwired heterosexuality one of them.

He tries to remember the female-vesseled angels he's known. Anna. Raphael. Hannah. 

"Huh," Sam says. "No gender, huh? Then why are there gendered names?"

Cas turns his penetrating gaze on Sam. "We did not infer gender on those names. Humans did that."

"But…" 

Every angel he'd run into, with the exception of the female vessel Raphael had chosen, had been in a vessel of what Sam would assume was the expected gender of the name.

"Yes," Cas says, sounding annoyed, "some angels have preferences. But it is simply a bloodline – we choose the strongest, most appropriate vessel. Some will cultivate a particular gender from a young age instead of working on an adult vessel. I might have done that with Claire if I had not been pressed for time."

Sam shivers. He does not want to think about Castiel being in Claire. She's probably nearly of age now, but seeing Cas's power in her when she was a little girl, even for those few moments, had been heart-wrenching – and Cas not understanding how much of a life he has taken away from his vessel, knowing that he and Dean might have been vessels, had the apocalypse gone differently…

"Sam," Cas says, putting a hand on Sam's arm. "I apologize. That was callous."

Sam nods, turning to head back in. Fuck talking to Cas. Dean can do it.

"Please," Cas says, keeping his grip on Sam's arm. "Please, I'm sorry. I… I feel bad about Jimmy, and his daughter. I know how you feel about envesseling, and that it's personal for you. I apologize. Please, Sam."

Sam stops. Cas sounds lost, and they still haven't really settled the other thing yet. 

"Fine," Sam says. "But no more talk about vessels." 

"Yes, of course," Cas says, finally letting go of Sam's sleeve. "What would you prefer to talk about?"

Sam sighs. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. "Just… I'm not sure what you were thinking, asking us out." 

Well. He thought, maybe, that Cas might have wanted to ask Dean out. And he also thought Dean might be able to admit he was a little bent, and probably attracted to Cas. But not like this. And not without either copious amounts of alcohol or some other catalyst right in the face. A spell, a curse, something in their line of work.

It occurs to him that Dean will probably never admit his feelings for Cas, and the two of them will dance around each other for the rest of their lives, too hard-headed to realize they've been making googly eyes at each other for years.

Cas hasn't answered, and the penny drops. "You asked both of us because you know I'll agree to get you together with Dean. That's your intention, isn't it?"

Cas smiles, though it's a little sad. "Yes, I want to have a relationship with Dean."

It's a weird thing, feeling like you've been jilted by someone you never really wanted. He doesn't want Cas, has never had anything but brotherly affection for him, but being told that he's just a means to an end still makes him ache. It's not like he and Cas would ever have gotten together, but still, having it taken off the table like that is a surprising sucker punch.

"Fine," Sam says. "I'll go along with it if you can get Dean to agree. But once you've got Dean, I'm out, okay?"

Cas pulls his head back, crinkling his forehead up in confusion. "No," he answers. "Both of you, that's the deal."

"But you just said you want to have a relationship with Dean!" Sam says, a headache forming behind his eyes. 

"I do!" Cas answers, his voice rising in pitch to match Sam's. "And with you as well!"

Sam quirks an eyebrow. He doesn't believe that for a minute. 

"Sam," Cas says, reaching up to put his hands on Sam's shoulders. "You are two parts of a whole; it is impossible to have a lasting relationship with only one of you. If I am in a relationship with one of you, I am automatically in a relationship with the other."

"Yes," Sam says, "a familial relationship. I would be your brother-in-law."

"No," Cas says, throwing his hands up, groaning in frustration. "Arg, you Winchesters, how are you so thick-headed? You are both brothers to me already; being related by law is a formality. You and Dean have a bond that goes beyond any other in this plane. There is no way to separate you. To try is to be doomed to failure."

Sam is still trying to process; he and Dean are closer than normal siblings, he's seen normal siblings and their relationships just aren't the same as his and Dean's. He's always put it down to the job, the hunting life, the secret society mentality that meant they never had that many people in their lives they could trust. 

Still, he can see Cas is attracted to Dean, and he's about eighty percent sure that if Dean could get his head out of his ass, he'd realize he's in love with Cas, so this gives him an opportunity to give them both a shove in the right direction. He hopes that Cas will figure out that Sam doesn't mind, Dean and Cas being together. He'd be happy for them, and he'd be happy to be a third wheel – or maybe he could actually get out of the life, if Dean had someone else to keep him anchored.

Sam sighs. "Fine, Cas, I agree. If you can talk Dean into it, I'll play along."

Cas's stare is penetrating, and he doesn't smile when he says, "It is not a game, Sam."

Sam nods. "I know, Cas. It's just an expression."

Cas purses his lips like he can see right through Sam. "Fine. Let's go back in and see if I am able to persuade Dean as effectively as I persuaded you."

Sam's not sure if that's a joke or not; he follows Cas in, trying to figure out how big of a mess he's gotten himself into.


End file.
